VW Diesel Push Pays Off in March

[IndigoBlueWagon]

Volkswagen of America reports best April and YTD diesel sales; Passat diesel take rate at 42.1%

I just hope these cars are bought by people who'll embrace diesel and enjoy them, not just people responding to incentives. Otherwise we're going to see these flood the used car market in a couple of years.

 

[BadMonKey]

I just hope these cars are bought by people who'll embrace diesel and enjoy them, not just people responding to incentives. Otherwise we're going to see these flood the used car market in a couple of years.

LoL; 9300 cars would be the smallest flood ever and likely never noticed.

 

[IndigoBlueWagon]

Maybe, but VW sold a total of about 7,500 B4 Passats in two years. So that's a big volume jump.

 

[dubStrom]

Exactly, there will be tons of people who don't realize a lot of things. For example

#1). You cannot buy diesel everywhere
#2). Diesel foams and is stinky
#3). These cars don't heat up near as well in the winter
#4). Every so often when you turn the car off, the fans keep running.


I thought that I was pretty well informed when I bought my car. My dealer didn't really give me any pros and cons with the TDI. I honestly feel pretty let down in that respect. But nothing that I encountered turned out to be a show stopper for me and I have no intention of going to another car.

I'm glad the overall experience has been positive for you. Here's another view:

#1). Improved range allows me to drive past the many places that DO have diesel (My average range is over 700 miles at 41 mpg mostly city driving!). Click the fuelly logo below and see the numbers.
#2. Gasoline is stinky
#3. Diesels can idle with air conditioning on in the middle of a hot summer without overheating at all.
#4. Not sure why fan operation is a problem. But modern diesels filter and then incinerate particles instead of spewing them (including big rigs). These 4 cylinder TDIs are now officially cleaner than ALL gasoline powered full size trucks and luxury sedans!

#5. TORQUE right off idle- sweet

 

[nfotiu]

What's this foaming you speak of? I've had my TDI for 3 years and have not noticed it, nor can I figure out why it would be a problem?

 

[eb2143]

This is also a myth, hybrids suck at short commutes too.

Why is this?

What's this foaming you speak of? I've had my TDI for 3 years and have not noticed it, nor can I figure out why it would be a problem?

I don't think you notice it unless you obsessively top off your tank, like a lot of us driving around in the MKIVs with the ventectomy. The foam slows down the process of topping off and causes the pump to click off earlier than in a gasser. Next time you're filling up, try waiting 30 seconds after the pump clicks (foam settling) and then put the pump on its slowest speed and see how much more you can squeeze in. Clearly, this is not a big deal and a non factor to nearly every normal person's evaluation of a TDI pros and cons.

My 2 cents on the diesel smell: yes, both gas and diesel stink, but one evaporates and one can cling to a pump's handle. Once I upgraded to a leather steering wheel, I got a little more annoyed with this and try to remember gloves or to use a paper towel wrapped around the pump handle.

 

[LRTDI]

All I really want really really want is a Passat Wagon Tdi.

Sad thing is VW still doesn't have the model mix that is attractive to North American consumers.

http://wardsauto.com/politics/german-auto-makers-tout-free-trade-deal-us

 

[dubStrom]

All I really want really really want is a Passat Wagon Tdi.

Sad thing is VW still doesn't have the model mix that is attractive to North American consumers.

http://wardsauto.com/politics/german-auto-makers-tout-free-trade-deal-us

It's the "JSW", which is of course really the Golf Variant/Golf Estate/Golf Wagon (most commonly) EVERYWHERE else in the world except the USA. We have the JSW in the USA.

A Passat Wagon would reduce "JSW" sales, and vice versa. If the supply chain were different (JSW is from North American plant in Puebla), we'd have both, but shipping cars from Europe is expensive, and there's a weak market for TDI wagons in the USA.

The only possible fix is to add Passat Variant to Chattanooga assembly line. But there is an equally weak demand for Amarok TDI in the US. Either of which are just excellent vehicles. There is more demand for the small SUV...

So if ANY TDI is added to Chattanooga line, it might be the light SUV Tiguan. They'd install TDI engines if that happened. On the other hand, Tiguan TDI would probably be popular enough to justify importing!

Which do you think they'll add, or would like to add to Chattanooga lines? Don't say Phaeton!

 

[earlthepearl]

As for the earlier post, #3 heat issues, my 09 Jetta has an auxilary heater. I have heat coming in with less than a minute of driving. I don't know about later model years. That feature was probably deleted, along with strut hood, trunk lid, better grade interior, and IRS, to keep the cost down for us "cheap" folks in the U. S.